Wimped out today
Discussion
I've been on the train this week, but not out of choice... fell off going to work Thursday just gone 
Locked the front wheel when the traffic in front had come to a complete stop round a corner (poor obs by me), was only going 20ish mph and wasn't braking that hard, but a slimey road and a front tyre I've never been that fond of resulted in a dented/scraped tank, broken headlight, bent gear lever and cracked clock casing.
Only injury to myself is some ligament damage on my right thumb (came off on the left side, did a couple of rolls and sprung back up cursing like a trooper!) which is already getting better. God bless decent kit (Furygan jacket/trousers and Held gloves)
both knees were pretty scuffed up but the D30 armor meant my kees are literally untouched.
Sort of glad I'm on the train though this week though - snow yesterday, f
king cold frost and ice this morning, no thanks.
Locked the front wheel when the traffic in front had come to a complete stop round a corner (poor obs by me), was only going 20ish mph and wasn't braking that hard, but a slimey road and a front tyre I've never been that fond of resulted in a dented/scraped tank, broken headlight, bent gear lever and cracked clock casing.
Only injury to myself is some ligament damage on my right thumb (came off on the left side, did a couple of rolls and sprung back up cursing like a trooper!) which is already getting better. God bless decent kit (Furygan jacket/trousers and Held gloves)
both knees were pretty scuffed up but the D30 armor meant my kees are literally untouched.Sort of glad I'm on the train though this week though - snow yesterday, f
king cold frost and ice this morning, no thanks. Edited by Tall_Paul on Wednesday 4th February 13:47
This morning was fun. Rear was a little slippy, thankfully front stayed planted. Pinlock's buggered, again. Didn't enjoy snow on the visor while it steamed up. Possibly need to look into anti-fog sprays. Think I might prefer the narrower bays on the Thundercat over the turning circle of the SM, maybe.
i did brave it today, but dropped the scooter on the way home. The roads around my way are lethal! Pulling upto a junction,applied both brakes but must have too much front on and it just gave way and dropped the scooter. I tried to pick it up my feet would grip on the road. It was so slippy i just could not believe it. It must have been a mixture of salt, grease and maybe diesel.
People just drove around me, so helpful!
Anyway be really safe out there as it lethal!
ABS should be standard on all bikes
People just drove around me, so helpful!
Anyway be really safe out there as it lethal!
ABS should be standard on all bikes
It was lovely out today, the corners that had sun all day were nice n dry with lots of grip (compared to recently). Slippy where it was shaded all day though, had the front slip on one bend.
I'm glad ABS isn't standard on all bikes, who needs more complication to fix when pure lack of skill & bottle means I never brake hard enough for it to be needed?
I'm glad ABS isn't standard on all bikes, who needs more complication to fix when pure lack of skill & bottle means I never brake hard enough for it to be needed?
Hooli said:
It was lovely out today, the corners that had sun all day were nice n dry with lots of grip (compared to recently). Slippy where it was shaded all day though, had the front slip on one bend.
I'm glad ABS isn't standard on all bikes, who needs more complication to fix when pure lack of skill & bottle means I never brake hard enough for it to be needed?
I wouldn't mind it for those occasions when bottle doesn't come into it and instinct takes over.I'm glad ABS isn't standard on all bikes, who needs more complication to fix when pure lack of skill & bottle means I never brake hard enough for it to be needed?
I almost did a Tall Paul and month or so back. Lost the front completely and only saved it because the crash bung caught on the back of my knee. That was my own fault though.
Another recent occasion had a bin lorry pull out in front of me, it was dry though so nothing bad happened.
Edited by Tribal Chestnut on Tuesday 10th February 08:42
ABS on a summer weekend bike, no - don't need it.
But on an all year round bike ridden in stty conditions with half asleep drivers, I'll take that safety net thanks.
All it takes is wrong place wrong time, some oil on the road and braking at the wrong point and the front's gone. I wasn't braking that hard at all, I brake harder into the roundabouts from 70mph but the roads were just extra bit slippy that day, partly my fault of course but abs (probably) would have saved me.
But on an all year round bike ridden in s
tty conditions with half asleep drivers, I'll take that safety net thanks.All it takes is wrong place wrong time, some oil on the road and braking at the wrong point and the front's gone. I wasn't braking that hard at all, I brake harder into the roundabouts from 70mph but the roads were just extra bit slippy that day, partly my fault of course but abs (probably) would have saved me.
I am pretty good a braking hard and usually brake later harder and carry more corner speed then many of my pals on track days...
Still the ABS on my 13 Blade has saved me 3 times when some mad driver has pulled out on me or braked super hard at the last minute while swerving out as well... nice.
Also a diesel spill on a forecourt was going to be disaster and once again the abs saved me from a slow speed front slide.
This is just my experience. ABS for the road does make sense as does traction control.
IMHO
Still the ABS on my 13 Blade has saved me 3 times when some mad driver has pulled out on me or braked super hard at the last minute while swerving out as well... nice.
Also a diesel spill on a forecourt was going to be disaster and once again the abs saved me from a slow speed front slide.
This is just my experience. ABS for the road does make sense as does traction control.
IMHO
I just drove down the same section today and I can clearly see a trail of diesel from a building site upto the junction where I came off at 5mph. To be honest I don't think even ABS would have saved me. The roads around my way are a joke.
But on a scooter with small wheels the lack of grip is scary, I can screech the front wheel in the dry pulling up at junctions, unlike the GSXR!
I agree in dry conditions on s superbike that ABS is not essential, but If I got a new superbike there is no doubt that I would have it as an option.
But on a scooter with small wheels the lack of grip is scary, I can screech the front wheel in the dry pulling up at junctions, unlike the GSXR!
I agree in dry conditions on s superbike that ABS is not essential, but If I got a new superbike there is no doubt that I would have it as an option.
Totally agree with Tall Paul, on the all weather/commuting bike. I commute all year round and the amount of sh*t you have to stop suddenly for in and around the city for is unreal, it's would also be useful for the rural part of my commute in the wetter months when the roads are damp and leafs leave a nice pulp on the surface.
In-fact ABS would been nice this morning when the lady in front on her phone decided to slam on and swerve a parked car as she was clearly to busy chatting to be safe.
In-fact ABS would been nice this morning when the lady in front on her phone decided to slam on and swerve a parked car as she was clearly to busy chatting to be safe.
Man its 7/8 degrees out there this morning and I really enjoyed my commute in, it’s also quite light in the morning. It really has broken up the week from being squeezed onto the cattle train. It’s taken me 50 minutes to get in this morning verses 1.5 hours and associated misery.
Had a nice ride in on the KTM…
Just nice to get out.
Had a nice ride in on the KTM…
Just nice to get out.
Been in on the bike the last 2 days. Have to be honest and say I was forced to by the car breaking, but I'm so glad I had the push!
Still around 2-3 degrees in the morning here and the Norfolk roads are st, so I'm still getting my mojo back and learning to trust the tyres again.
Lovely bright sunny day on the bike, all wrapped up - win!
Still around 2-3 degrees in the morning here and the Norfolk roads are s
t, so I'm still getting my mojo back and learning to trust the tyres again.Lovely bright sunny day on the bike, all wrapped up - win!
crofty1984 said:
Been in on the bike the last 2 days. Have to be honest and say I was forced to by the car breaking, but I'm so glad I had the push!
Still around 2-3 degrees in the morning here and the Norfolk roads are st, so I'm still getting my mojo back and learning to trust the tyres again.
Lovely bright sunny day on the bike, all wrapped up - win!
Didn't envy you this morning - lots of black ice around for the first 10 miles when on my little Suffolk coast road. Still around 2-3 degrees in the morning here and the Norfolk roads are s
t, so I'm still getting my mojo back and learning to trust the tyres again.Lovely bright sunny day on the bike, all wrapped up - win!
Took the bandit in on Tuesday. Hated it. Didn't enjoy the bike. It was too cold. I had a massive tank-slapper coming off a roundabout just after saying to myself "it's actually not too slippery".
After getting home in the evening I reckon it took a couple of hours for my core body temp to get back to normal.
The bandit, which was lovely and clean after a winter of polishing, was filthy afterwards.
In fact, I disliked it so much that i'm now just going to use the car for work and sell the bandit. Keep the other bikes for sunny days and sundays
/grump
After getting home in the evening I reckon it took a couple of hours for my core body temp to get back to normal.
The bandit, which was lovely and clean after a winter of polishing, was filthy afterwards.
In fact, I disliked it so much that i'm now just going to use the car for work and sell the bandit. Keep the other bikes for sunny days and sundays
/grump
Since my new bike broke down on Tuesday I have been forced to get the train in this week....
I have absolutely hated every second of my commute since Wednesday and cannot wait to get back on the bike next week. This is the first time back on the train since November and it's been even worse than I remembered... Constantly standing around waiting and when I'm not standing around waiting I am getting pushed, elbowed and generally feel like livestock. This morning I was sat next to the textbook commuting; large latte on the go, Next suit, iPad, iPhone, Macbook and a suitcase with wheels. By the time I got to Euston all I could think of was how much I wanted to punch him in the face. Repeatedly.
All this for the tidy sum of £122.50 a week. The same journey by bike is £55 in fuel and 30 minutes less each way.
I have absolutely hated every second of my commute since Wednesday and cannot wait to get back on the bike next week. This is the first time back on the train since November and it's been even worse than I remembered... Constantly standing around waiting and when I'm not standing around waiting I am getting pushed, elbowed and generally feel like livestock. This morning I was sat next to the textbook commuting
; large latte on the go, Next suit, iPad, iPhone, Macbook and a suitcase with wheels. By the time I got to Euston all I could think of was how much I wanted to punch him in the face. Repeatedly.All this for the tidy sum of £122.50 a week. The same journey by bike is £55 in fuel and 30 minutes less each way.
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